Paid leave passes Minnesota Senate, closer to becoming law in Minnesota

(FOX 9) - A state-run plan for paid family and medical leave is nearly a reality after a 34-33 party line vote in the Senate Monday.

Business owners disagree on the issue about as much as Democrats and Republicans and now some school leaders are now entering the debate.

Educators are getting a large, new investment from the state this year, but at least one superintendent says paid leave and other mandates will eat up a good chunk of the extra money.

A Stillwater school teacher having a baby or suffering a serious health problem can currently take up to 12 weeks off.

Whether they get paid for that time depends on how much paid time off they’ve put in the bank.

Proposed new state laws would make sure those teachers are fully paid and could extend their leave for up to 12 more weeks in the most dire circumstances.

The Stillwater schools superintendent isn’t a fan.

"With districts throughout the state already facing staffing shortages, we’ll be challenged to fill some of these potential long-term positions with quality replacements," Dr. Michael Funk told FOX 9.

He joined Republicans in pushing back against DFL plans for paid family and medical leave, funded by a small payroll tax.

Republicans say they like the idea of paid family and medical leave, but they prefer a privately-run program.

They also want the state to reimburse businesses for the expense of hiring replacement employees.

"Our plans offer so much more when it comes to choice, flexibility, and trying to fill in the gaps of this system," said Sen. Julia Coleman (R-Waconia).

An enthusiastic crowd of supporters encouraged state senators to pass paid leave.

Democrats say their bills offer grants or tax credits to replace employees during a leave.

One small business owner said she wants to offer paid leave, but she can’t negotiate decent deals with private insurers, so the public option is half the price.

"This is affordable, totally comprehensive, and it’s something I can plan for that evens the playing field," said Sarah Piepenburg, who owns Vinaigrette food store in Minneapolis.

Twelve other states have public programs for paid family and medical leave.

Minnesota could be next if the House and Senate can resolve a few differences between their bills, which DFL leaders are confident will happen.